7 Modern Modular and Prefabricated Homes in the UK

Thanks to the efficiency, flexibility, and affordability that prefabricated homes can offer, they’ve continued to gain popularity with homeowners who are looking for an alternative to traditional construction—and not just in the U.S.

Prefabricated houses were in fact a major part of the British government’s plan to address the UK's public housing shortage after World War II. Between 1945 and 1951, an estimated 1.2 million new prefab houses were constructed. A number of these structures still survive, which is a testament to the durability and longevity that prefab housing can offer.

Today, new modern prefab and modular homes not only meet housing demands, but also make strong architectural statements with their streamlined designs and eco-friendly construction methods.

Estonian design collective Kodasema launched this 269-square-foot micro-home, which can be built in less than a day. The structure, which doesn't require a foundation, can be moved on the back of a truck and aims to encourage a self-build culture and better use of empty plots of land in the UK. "The simple yet effective design could help alleviate the pressures of the housing crisis on local authorities, providing temporary homes or workspaces on empty sites," says Kodasema's John O'Brien.

In 14 weeks, UK prefab and modular home builders Boutique Modern completed this off-the-grid lakeside home that sits deep in Dorset’s Hook Park Forest. The house draws water from the lake and electricity is produced via solar panels and stored in a battery. Extra energy can be generated with a small diesel generator when needed.

To circumvent planning regulations in an English historic park site, PAD Studio created a prefab structure that can be moved by crane. "The whole building is based around a steel frame, which provides us with the stability to be able to top-lift it easily," explains designer Ricky Evans.

Boutique Modern rose to the challenge of building a modular prefab in a remote location in Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands. Because of the area’s extreme weather conditions, the builders used extra thick wall sections with added external insulation to ensure the house would stay warm in winter.

This prefab housing scheme by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners consists of 280-square-foot units that were designed to be homes for 36 young homeless individuals in south London. Each unit includes a combined living room and kitchen and a separate en-suite bedroom. The units were constructed in a factory using a volumetric timber system, then assembled and delivered to the site on the back of a truck.